First-Ever Local Bee Organized by the Newnan-Coweta Chamber of Commerce
Three Coweta students – from Smokey Road Middle, East Coweta Middle and Blake Bass Middle Schools – were the winners of the first Coweta County National Civics Bee competition, held March 17 at the Nixon Centre for Performing and Visual Arts.
Student Jackson Coleman, of Smokey Road Middle School, was the 1st Place winner of the Bee, followed by Avery Moralle (East Coweta Middle School) and Annabel Jewkes (Blake Bass Middle). The Bee was sponsored by the Newnan-Coweta Chamber of Commerce. All three will go on to compete in the Georgia Civics Bee, held in June at the Carter Center in Atlanta this June.
This year’s Bee was sponsored by the Newnan-Coweta Chamber of Commerce. The 19 competitors for the county bee were the top students drawn from 117 local student essayists from each of Coweta County School System’s 7 middle schools, the Central Educational center, the Heritage School, and two Troup County middle schools. Michael Nix, Karen Owen, Kristin Webb, Deon Whitlock, Mark Whitlock served locally as judges.
The competing finalists included:
Jackson Coleman, Smokey Road Middle School (1st Place)
Avery Moralle, East Coweta Middle School (2nd Place)
Annabel Jewkes, Blake Bass Middle School (3rd Place)
Ava Pamparo, Lee Middle School (Runner-Up)
Elyse Corbett, The Heritage School (Runner-Up)
Aaron Jones, Gardner Newman Middle
Aiden Opsahl, Evans Middle School
Alana Schleismann, Madras Middle School
Anna Dickinson, Lee Middle School
Avery East, East Coweta Middle School
Charlie Markham, Madras Middle School
Ella Weisz, East Coweta Middle School
Jaxen Porter, Smokey Road Middle School
Jay Patel, Arnall Middle School
JR Thornton, The Heritage School
Kadie Hayes, Madras Middle School
Landon Taylor, East Coweta Middle School
Lincoln Walburn, Evans Middle School
Sullivan Knowles, Opelika Middle School
This was the first year for a locally- organized Civics Bee. The initiative—sponsored by the Newnan-Coweta Chamber locally, and nationally the U.S. Chamber and The Civic Trust of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation—is aimed at encouraging more young Americans to engage in civics and contribute to their communities, to become better informed about American democracy, engage respectfully and constructively in the community, and build greater trust in others and institutions.
Locally, this year’s bee was supported by Newnan Utilities, Coweta County Water and Sewerage, Progressive Heating and Air, Southern States Bank, Accelerated Performance Solutions, KRB Communications, and Chic-fil-A of Coweta Crossroads. Local finalists and top winners received various prizes, including awards worth $500 for the first-place student.
Nationally, the U.S. Chamber received 7,400 student essays submitted from across the nation. 1,600 judges, including local essay readers, were assigned various regions from around the country and dedicated their time to reading and rating the submitted essays.
Eighth-grade students from public, private, charter and home schools were invited to take part in the first-round local civics essay competition. After a panel of judges reviews the essays, the top 20 students were advanced to the local competition, an in-person live event featuring two rounds of civics questions followed by a Q&A round to test their civics knowledge.
“The Newnan-Coweta Chamber is proud to support the National Civics Bee, empowering the next generation of leaders with the knowledge and confidence to engage in their communities,” said Candace Boothby, CEO of the Newnan-Coweta Chamber of Commerce. “Sponsoring this initiative aligns with our commitment to fostering civic engagement, critical thinking, and leadership development among students. By investing in this program, we are helping to build a stronger, more informed future for Coweta County and beyond.”
“I am excited for our school system to help co-host this first-ever National Civics Bee competition here in Coweta County,” said Phil Sykes, Social Studies Curriculum Specialist for the Coweta County School System. “It will highlight our students, and the great work of a lot of teachers who are making sure our students are prepared for future roles in their community and to be good citizens of our community.”
Participants in the National Civics Bee will have the chance to gain recognition for their civics knowledge and skills and compete for prestigious prizes throughout the competition. The event enables students to explore issues that matter to their communities, further their understanding of civic engagement and foster responsible citizenship. Winners from local competitions across Georgia will be invited to take part in the state finals.
The first-place winner of the state finals will receive a trip to Washington, D.C., to compete for prizes worth at least $50,000 during the national championship in fall 2025.
The National Civics Bee, a program of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation’s Civic Trust, is an annual nonpartisan competition aimed at improving civics education and literacy among middle school students, their families and communities. The competition helps elevate civics as a national priority through a network of state and local chambers across the country.
The National Civics Bee is made possible through the generous support of its founding partner, the Daniels Fund, Citizen Travelers and other funders.
For more information about the National Civics Bee in Georgia, visit nationalcivicsbee.org or https://www.newnancowetachamber.org/the-national-civics-bee.
